The Collective

Chapter One

Nothing good came of answering the door in the middle of the night. But, ignoring it thus far hadn't worked. I pulled the covers over my head. Lo and behold, it didn't make a difference. The pounding continued...

Fine.

I sucked a breath through my teeth as my feet hit the floor. It'd been so nice all week, I thought it'd be safe to turn the heater off, but no, just kidding. Here's another snow day. I hated it here.

"I'm coming!" I wrapped my sweater tighter around my shoulders. I grabbed the bat by the door as I pulled it open.

Ethan James shoved his way in. He locked the door behind him. He ignored me, as he tore through my apartment. He stuck his gun in all the doorways before stopping in front of the kitchen. Although, it's more a kitchenette, or like a galley kitchen? Not that it mattered...

"Are you alone?" He demanded.

"Yeah." Not that it was any of his business. He was the one who did the leaving. "What's going on? What are you doing here?" I hadn't seen him since he broke off our engagement, 14 months ago.

He sighed heavily. He closed his eyes, gnawing on his lip. He rolled his shoulders, wincing. "We're leaving. Pack a bag." He pulled a flip phone out of his pocket. "ETA?"

"Ethan?" I followed him back to the living room. "You can't just barge in here and tell me to pack a bag. I have a job," that I hated, "A life. I can't just leave." I would love to leave, but to go home, not to go with him. Not like this.

"It's not safe here." He scowled at the phone in his hand. He punched the buttons. He held it up to his ear. "Max, I swear..."

"No one knows I'm here, not even my mother!" My mother still thought I was moping in California. She kept calling and calling, trying to convince me to go home, and forget about the ragamuffin and his mangy beast. Eventually, we both gave up.

Ethan froze. He stared at me. "Alex, we are leaving with, or without your stuff. You have three minutes."

"It's Annie now." I turned on my heel. I retreated to my room, raking my fingers through my hair. All the things I've wanted to say to him came rushing back. I adored him. He was my whole world. I didn't know that world was filled with espionage and angry, murderous men with guns until the night he left, a week before our wedding. He was never supposed to come back.

I grabbed the bag from under the bed. I'd kept it packed since that night, when the Lady in Red told me I was being moved for my protection. No questions about whether or not I actually wanted it. I wasn't to tell a soul about who I was, or how I ended up in the high country.

"Ready?" Ethan asked, half his attention out the window.

I scoffed. "Do I have a choice?"

He shook his head. "Stay close."

Max, Ethan's partner in crime, waited for us outside. He nodded at Ethan, swinging his gun back and forth across the street. He worked with Ethan and he was certifiably insane, but other than that, I knew almost nothing about him. He fired down the street, into the dark. Tires screeched.

"Watch your head." Ethan shut my door, watching the street. "Max, let's go."

Max leapt through the window. He floored it. "Seatbelts."

I clipped it in. I planted my feet on the ground, bracing myself. Driving with Max was something I would never miss. He took reckless endangerment to entirely new levels. He careened onto the highway, singing along with the radio at the top of his lungs. It almost drowned out the blaring horns and screaming humans.